Spectrum Health Care welcomes investments in home care to rescue a "system in crisis"

Investments announced today in advance of Ontario’s 2022 Spring Budget will help restore critical nursing and other home care services to tens of thousands of Ontario seniors and patients.

TORONTO, ONT. (April 25, 2022) – Today’s announcement of $1 billion over three years in new funding for home care is a welcome step in rescuing a system in crisis and to improve nursing care and other services for tens of thousands of Ontarians who desperately need them.

“This is a much-needed investment in a pillar of our health-care system that has been overlooked and under-funded for decades,” said Sandra Ketchen, President and CEO of Spectrum Health Care. “With qualified and valued nurses and PSWs leaving the sector every day, more needs to be done to increase staff retention and attraction. This investment by the Ontario government is welcome and will go a long way to restoring a system that is on the verge of breaking down.”

As a result of staff shortages, only approximately 60 percent of Ontarians who need home care are getting the services they need. Prior to the pandemic, the sector was able to fill more than 90 per cent of requested home-care visits.

Properly funded home care is the foundation of quality health care. When the sector suffers, so do patients in every other part of the system. Home care enables hospitals to discharge patients home safely with proper support, freeing up capacity in hospitals. Home care keeps seniors and patients with complex conditions in their homes longer before turning to long-term care.

“It’s a system in crisis. This investment can make the difference between someone being able to stay in their home – something 96 percent of aging Ontarians would like to do – versus prematurely entering a long-term care facility or being admitted to hospital,” Ketchen said. “At Spectrum, we believe everyone, especially our seniors, should have the choice and confidence to be cared for at home. We need to do more to rebuild the health care system following the impacts of COVID-19. While the investments in this budget are significant, there are major system changes needed to modernize home care in this province. We look forward to working with the Government to find solutions and strengthen home care in Ontario.”

Spectrum Health Care is a trusted Canadian leader and innovator in the delivery of home care services with over 3,000 staff providing more than 75,000 home visits per week. https://spectrumhealthcare.com/